1 | House Joint Resolution |
2 | A joint resolution proposing an amendment to Sections 2, |
3 | 4, and 6 and the creation of Section 19 of Article VII and |
4 | the creation of Section 27 of Article XII of the State |
5 | Constitution to provide for an alternative methodology for |
6 | changing assessments of homestead property, rate for |
7 | taxing homestead property, and homestead exemption, |
8 | provide for transitional assessments of homestead |
9 | property, and provide an effective date. |
10 |
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11 | Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
12 |
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13 | That the following amendment to Sections 2, 4, and 6 and |
14 | the creation of Section 19 of Article VII and the creation of |
15 | Section 27 of Article XII of the State Constitution are agreed |
16 | to and shall be submitted to the electors of this state for |
17 | approval or rejection at the next general election or at an |
18 | earlier special election specifically authorized by law for that |
19 | purpose: |
20 | ARTICLE VII |
21 | FINANCE AND TAXATION |
22 | SECTION 2. Taxes; rate.--Except as provided in Section 19 |
23 | of this Article, all ad valorem taxation shall be at a uniform |
24 | rate within each taxing unit, except the taxes on intangible |
25 | personal property may be at different rates but shall never |
26 | exceed two mills on the dollar of assessed value; provided, as |
27 | to any obligations secured by mortgage, deed of trust, or other |
28 | lien on real estate wherever located, an intangible tax of not |
29 | more than two mills on the dollar may be levied by law to be in |
30 | lieu of all other intangible assessments on such obligations. |
31 | SECTION 4. Taxation; assessments.--By general law |
32 | regulations shall be prescribed which shall secure a just |
33 | valuation of all property for ad valorem taxation, provided: |
34 | (a) Agricultural land, land producing high water recharge |
35 | to Florida's aquifers, or land used exclusively for |
36 | noncommercial recreational purposes may be classified by general |
37 | law and assessed solely on the basis of character or use. |
38 | (b) Pursuant to general law tangible personal property |
39 | held for sale as stock in trade and livestock may be valued for |
40 | taxation at a specified percentage of its value, may be |
41 | classified for tax purposes, or may be exempted from taxation. |
42 | (c) Except as provided in Section 19 of this Article, all |
43 | persons entitled to a homestead exemption under Section 6 of |
44 | this Article shall have their homestead assessed at just value |
45 | as of January 1 of the year following the effective date of this |
46 | amendment. This assessment shall change only as provided herein. |
47 | (1) Assessments subject to this provision shall be changed |
48 | annually on January 1st of each year; but those changes in |
49 | assessments shall not exceed the lower of the following: |
50 | a. Three percent (3%) of the assessment for the prior |
51 | year. |
52 | b. The percent change in the Consumer Price Index for all |
53 | urban consumers, U.S. City Average, all items 1967=100, or |
54 | successor reports for the preceding calendar year as initially |
55 | reported by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of |
56 | Labor Statistics. |
57 | (2) No assessment shall exceed just value. |
58 | (3) After any change of ownership, as provided by general |
59 | law, homestead property shall be assessed at just value as of |
60 | January 1 of the following year. Thereafter, the homestead shall |
61 | be assessed as provided herein. |
62 | (4) New homestead property shall be assessed at just value |
63 | as of January 1st of the year following the establishment of the |
64 | homestead. That assessment shall only change as provided herein. |
65 | (5) Changes, additions, reductions, or improvements to |
66 | homestead property shall be assessed as provided for by general |
67 | law; provided, however, after the adjustment for any change, |
68 | addition, reduction, or improvement, the property shall be |
69 | assessed as provided herein. |
70 | (6) In the event of a termination of homestead status, the |
71 | property shall be assessed as provided by general law. |
72 | (7) The provisions of this amendment are severable. If any |
73 | of the provisions of this amendment shall be held |
74 | unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, the |
75 | decision of such court shall not affect or impair any remaining |
76 | provisions of this amendment. |
77 | (d) The legislature may, by general law, for assessment |
78 | purposes and subject to the provisions of this subsection, allow |
79 | counties and municipalities to authorize by ordinance that |
80 | historic property may be assessed solely on the basis of |
81 | character or use. Such character or use assessment shall apply |
82 | only to the jurisdiction adopting the ordinance. The |
83 | requirements for eligible properties must be specified by |
84 | general law. |
85 | (e) A county may, in the manner prescribed by general law, |
86 | provide for a reduction in the assessed value of homestead |
87 | property to the extent of any increase in the assessed value of |
88 | that property which results from the construction or |
89 | reconstruction of the property for the purpose of providing |
90 | living quarters for one or more natural or adoptive grandparents |
91 | or parents of the owner of the property or of the owner's spouse |
92 | if at least one of the grandparents or parents for whom the |
93 | living quarters are provided is 62 years of age or older. Such a |
94 | reduction may not exceed the lesser of the following: |
95 | (1) The increase in assessed value resulting from |
96 | construction or reconstruction of the property. |
97 | (2) Twenty percent of the total assessed value of the |
98 | property as improved. |
99 | SECTION 6. Homestead exemptions.-- |
100 | (a) Every person who has the legal or equitable title to |
101 | real estate and maintains thereon the permanent residence of the |
102 | owner, or another legally or naturally dependent upon the owner, |
103 | shall be exempt from taxation thereon, except assessments for |
104 | special benefits, up to the assessed valuation of five thousand |
105 | dollars, upon establishment of right thereto in the manner |
106 | prescribed by law. The real estate may be held by legal or |
107 | equitable title, by the entireties, jointly, in common, as a |
108 | condominium, or indirectly by stock ownership or membership |
109 | representing the owner's or member's proprietary interest in a |
110 | corporation owning a fee or a leasehold initially in excess of |
111 | ninety-eight years. |
112 | (b) Not more than one exemption shall be allowed any |
113 | individual or family unit or with respect to any residential |
114 | unit. No exemption shall exceed the value of the real estate |
115 | assessable to the owner or, in case of ownership through stock |
116 | or membership in a corporation, the value of the proportion |
117 | which the interest in the corporation bears to the assessed |
118 | value of the property. |
119 | (c) Except as provided in Section 19 of this Article, by |
120 | general law and subject to conditions specified therein, the |
121 | exemption shall be increased to a total of twenty-five thousand |
122 | dollars of the assessed value of the real estate for each school |
123 | district levy. By general law and subject to conditions |
124 | specified therein, the exemption for all other levies may be |
125 | increased up to an amount not exceeding ten thousand dollars of |
126 | the assessed value of the real estate if the owner has attained |
127 | age sixty-five or is totally and permanently disabled and if the |
128 | owner is not entitled to the exemption provided in subsection |
129 | (d). |
130 | (d) Except as provided in Section 19 of this Article, by |
131 | general law and subject to conditions specified therein, the |
132 | exemption shall be increased to a total of the following amounts |
133 | of assessed value of real estate for each levy other than those |
134 | of school districts: fifteen thousand dollars with respect to |
135 | 1980 assessments; twenty thousand dollars with respect to 1981 |
136 | assessments; twenty-five thousand dollars with respect to |
137 | assessments for 1982 and each year thereafter. However, such |
138 | increase shall not apply with respect to any assessment roll |
139 | until such roll is first determined to be in compliance with the |
140 | provisions of Section section 4 of this Article by a state |
141 | agency designated by general law. This subsection shall stand |
142 | repealed on the effective date of any amendment to Section |
143 | section 4 of this Article which provides for the assessment of |
144 | homestead property at a specified percentage of its just value. |
145 | (e) By general law and subject to conditions specified |
146 | therein, the Legislature may provide to renters, who are |
147 | permanent residents, ad valorem tax relief on all ad valorem tax |
148 | levies. Such ad valorem tax relief shall be in the form and |
149 | amount established by general law. |
150 | (f) The legislature may, by general law, allow counties or |
151 | municipalities, for the purpose of their respective tax levies |
152 | and subject to the provisions of general law, to grant an |
153 | additional homestead tax exemption not exceeding fifty thousand |
154 | dollars to any person who has the legal or equitable title to |
155 | real estate and maintains thereon the permanent residence of the |
156 | owner and who has attained age sixty-five and whose household |
157 | income, as defined by general law, does not exceed twenty |
158 | thousand dollars. The general law must allow counties and |
159 | municipalities to grant this additional exemption, within the |
160 | limits prescribed in this subsection, by ordinance adopted in |
161 | the manner prescribed by general law, and must provide for the |
162 | periodic adjustment of the income limitation prescribed in this |
163 | subsection for changes in the cost of living. |
164 | (g) Each veteran who is age 65 or older who is partially |
165 | or totally permanently disabled shall receive a discount from |
166 | the amount of the ad valorem tax otherwise owed on homestead |
167 | property the veteran owns and resides in if the disability was |
168 | combat related, the veteran was a resident of this state at the |
169 | time of entering the military service of the United States, and |
170 | the veteran was honorably discharged upon separation from |
171 | military service. The discount shall be in a percentage equal to |
172 | the percentage of the veteran's permanent, service-connected |
173 | disability as determined by the United States Department of |
174 | Veterans Affairs. To qualify for the discount granted by this |
175 | subsection, an applicant must submit to the county property |
176 | appraiser, by March 1, proof of residency at the time of |
177 | entering military service, an official letter from the United |
178 | States Department of Veterans Affairs stating the percentage of |
179 | the veteran's service-connected disability and such evidence |
180 | that reasonably identifies the disability as combat related, and |
181 | a copy of the veteran's honorable discharge. If the property |
182 | appraiser denies the request for a discount, the appraiser must |
183 | notify the applicant in writing of the reasons for the denial, |
184 | and the veteran may reapply. The Legislature may, by general |
185 | law, waive the annual application requirement in subsequent |
186 | years. This subsection shall take effect December 7, 2006, is |
187 | self-executing, and does not require implementing legislation. |
188 | SECTION 19. Alternative homestead property assessment; |
189 | taxation; exemption; future revision limitation.-- |
190 | (a) All persons entitled to a homestead exemption under |
191 | this section shall have their homestead assessed at just value |
192 | as of January 1 of the year following the effective date of this |
193 | section. This assessment shall be changed each year by the |
194 | percentage change in the market value of the property from the |
195 | prior year, provided that, any increase in the assessment shall |
196 | not exceed the lower of three percent (3%) of the assessment for |
197 | the prior year or the percent change in the Consumer Price Index |
198 | for all urban consumers, U.S. City Average, all items 1967=100, |
199 | or successor reports for the preceding calendar year as |
200 | initially reported by the United States Department of Labor, |
201 | Bureau of Labor Statistics. |
202 | (b) Under this section, homestead property shall be taxed |
203 | at the rate of one and one-half percent (1.5%) of the just value |
204 | of the property. |
205 | (c) Every person who has the legal or equitable title to |
206 | real estate and maintains thereon the permanent residence of the |
207 | owner, or another legally or naturally dependent upon the owner, |
208 | shall be exempt from taxation thereon, except assessments for |
209 | special benefits, up to the assessed valuation of the median |
210 | value of single-family homes for the prior year in the county in |
211 | which the homestead is located. The owner of a homestead who is |
212 | 65 years of age or older and whose income does not exceed 80 |
213 | percent of the median family income for the county shall be |
214 | entitled to an additional exemption equal to the amount of the |
215 | exemption provided in this subsection. |
216 | (d) The provisions of this section shall apply only to the |
217 | owner of homestead property and the homestead if the owner makes |
218 | an irrevocable election to have this section apply instead of |
219 | Sections 2, 4, and 6 of this Article. |
220 | (e) By general law, the legislature shall provide |
221 | regulations to implement and enforce this section. |
222 | (f) Notwithstanding any other provision of Article XI, any |
223 | revision to the provisions of this section may be made only by |
224 | initiative filed as provided in Section 3 of Article XI and |
225 | submitted to the voters in a general election. |
226 | ARTICLE XII |
227 | SCHEDULE |
228 | SECTION 27. Transitional assessments of homestead |
229 | property; effective date.-- |
230 | (a) Each person entitled to a homestead exemption under |
231 | Section 6 of Article VII on the effective date of this section |
232 | shall continue to have the person's current homestead assessed |
233 | under Section 4(c) of Article VII until the person makes an |
234 | irrevocable election to have the person's homestead assessed |
235 | under Section 19 of Article VII. After an irrevocable election |
236 | is made, the homestead will continue to be assessed under |
237 | Section 4(c) of Article VII until December 31 of the year in |
238 | which the election is made and thereafter may not be assessed |
239 | under Section 4(c) of Article VII. Beginning January 1 of the |
240 | year following such election, the homestead shall be assessed |
241 | and taxed as provided by Section 19 of Article VII. By general |
242 | law and subject to conditions specified therein, the legislature |
243 | shall provide procedures for persons to make the election. |
244 | (b) The amendments to Sections 2, 4, and 6 and the |
245 | creation of Section 19 of Article VII, providing an alternative |
246 | methodology for changing assessments of homestead property, |
247 | taxing homestead property at 1.5 percent of just value, and |
248 | providing a homestead exemption equal to the median value of |
249 | single-family homes in the county in which the homestead is |
250 | located and a double homestead exemption for low-income property |
251 | owners 65 years of age or older, and limiting revisions to a |
252 | citizen's initiative, and this section, providing for |
253 | transitional assessments of homestead property, if submitted to |
254 | the electors of this state for approval or rejection at a |
255 | special election authorized by law to be held in 2008, shall |
256 | take effect upon approval by the electors and shall operate |
257 | retroactively to January 1, 2008, or, if submitted to the |
258 | electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next |
259 | general election, shall take effect January 1 of the year |
260 | following such general election. |
261 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be |
262 | placed on the ballot: |
263 | CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT |
264 | ARTICLE VII, SECTIONS 2, 4, 6, 19 |
265 | ARTICLE XII, SECTION 27 |
266 | ALTERNATIVE HOMESTEAD PROPERTY ASSESSSMENT, TAXATION, |
267 | EXEMPTION.--Proposing changes to the State Constitution relating |
268 | to ad valorem taxation as follows: |
269 | 1.a. Provides for changing the assessment of homestead |
270 | property each year by the percentage change in the market value |
271 | of the property from the prior year and limiting increases in |
272 | assessments to the lower of 3 percent or the percentage change |
273 | in the Consumer Price Index. |
274 | b. Provides for taxing homestead property at 1.5 percent |
275 | of the just value of the property. |
276 | c. Provides for a homestead exemption equal to the median |
277 | value of single-family homes in the county in which the |
278 | homestead is located and a double exemption for homestead owners |
279 | 65 years of age or older with an income not exceeding 80 percent |
280 | of the median family income for the county. |
281 | 2. Preserves the existing assessment, taxation, and |
282 | exemption of homestead property but provides for an irrevocable |
283 | election by the homestead owner to apply the provisions of the |
284 | amendments to the homestead property. |
285 | 3. Limits revising the provisions of the amendment to |
286 | citizen's initiative. |
287 | 4. Schedules the changes to take effect upon approval by |
288 | the voters and operate retroactively to January 1, 2008, if |
289 | approved in a special election held in 2008, or to take effect |
290 | January 1, 2009, if approved in the general election held in |
291 | November of 2008. |